US soldier’s remains returned home after 75 years
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC/Gray News) - A U.S. soldier killed in action during the Korean War returned home Wednesday after 75 years.
Master Sergeant Luther Grace died in 1950, but his remains were not identified until last December.
A precession and transfer of his body took place at the Savannah Hilton Head International Airport on Wednesday.
Grace served in World War II and the Korean War.
“He was 24 years old when he went into service and 34 years old when he was declared killed in action,” his nephew, Kelly Grace, said. “We got the message in 2024 that 45 percent of him had been positively identified, and we’re here to take him home.”
Kelly Grace and several other family , along with Georgia State Patrol and fellow veterans, saluted Luther Grace’s arrival.
Afterward, they led a procession to a chapel near Jeff Davis County.
Luther Grace’s niece, Saralyn Stapleton, said she was doing what her father, Kelly Grace’s brother, didn’t get a chance to do.
“He always wondered what happened. He always hoped that he would someday come home. We are thankful that he is home now,” Stapleton said.
According to Stapleton, bringing Luther Grace finally home is bringing their family together and giving them a version of closure.
Luther Grace will be laid to rest in his hometown of Lumber City, Georgia, next to his mother on May 3.
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